Comoe National Park Research Articles

Seasonal Dynamics of Plant Diversity on lnselbergs in the Ivory Coast (West Africa)

Abstract:Inselbergs are isolated monolithic outcrops which are characterized by large areas of exposed crystalline rock. Due to harsh edaphic and microclimatic conditions, inselbergs are completely differentiated from their surroundings. Consequently they host a very distinct vegetation which is being investigated on a global scale over a six year period. The seasonal dynamics of Selected plant communities (Afrotrilepis pilosa mat, shallow depression, ephemeral flush vegetation) on granitic inselbergs in the Comoe National Park (NE Ivory Coast) were studied during the rainy period from May to November 1991 by recording all vascular plant species at 12 intervals. For the habitats investigated, the seasonal vegetation dynamics were related to the rainfall pattern. Maximum values both in species diversity and richness were attained in the first third of the rainy period. Drought in August and September caused a decline in species number and diversity in the shallow depression and ephemeral flush vegetation, resulting in mortality of more than 20% of the species. The individual communities studied differed considerably in species diversity and richness. We conclude that ephemeral flush and shallow depression communities are more species rich than the mat community which is dominated by the highly competitive and specialized K‐strategist Afrotrilepis pilosa (a poikilohydric Cyperaceae) due to stochastic climatic perturbations which allow the maintenance of species rich non‐equilibrium assemblages with r‐strategists as major components.

Répartition géographique dePapio anubis dans le nord-est et le centre-sud de Côte d’Ivoire

The main purpose of this work was to make a survey of thePapio anubis demography because of the lack of data on Ivory Coast baboons now prevailing in this country. Two outstanding facts came to light: on the one hand, the baboons had vanished from the greater part of the studied regions, either by the destruction of their habitat at the time of rural growth (connected to demographic and agricultural increase) or by excessive hunting; only some restricted territories, sheltering a few troops, still subsisted, scattered along the Nzi River and in sites with little access and thinly populated; on the other hand, observation ofPapio anubis troops was possible only in privileged areas such as National Park. In the Comoe National Park, 14 troops were seen, totaling 257 baboons, of which 173 were adults with a sex-ratio reaching 0.82. The mean size of a troop was 18.4 baboons (size varying between 8 and 32). The youngest individuals, aged under 1 year, were weakly represented (8.9%).